MEDIA ADVISORY: Health Coalitions Across Northeastern Ontario Plan Day of Action to Protest Hospital Cuts

SUDBURY, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 30, 2015) -

Attn: Assignment Editor

Citizens' actions groups to protect public health care services are joining forces to draw attention to the disproportionate hospital cuts across northeastern Ontario. Local chapters of the Ontario Health Coalition from towns across the northeast will be travelling to MPP Glenn Thibeault's office in Sudbury for a Day of Action on Friday, April 17 to press the government to stop the cuts.

Already, many hospitals are operating at full capacity, often with patients lined up in stretchers in hallways waiting for hospital beds. After decades of downsizing, Ontario's hospitals have been cut more deeply than anywhere in Canada, and now have the fewest beds left of any province in the country. The massive cuts to programs, services, departments all across the hospitals and hundreds of nurses, front-line personal support workers, and support and clerical staff put patients at risk.

The Health Coalition is hoping the Ontario government will hear the message that Ontarians cannot take any more hospital cuts.

When: Friday, April 17, 12 p.m.

Where: Constituency office of MPP Glenn Thibeault, 555 Barrydowne Rd., Unit 4B, Sudbury

Who: Ontario Health Coalition, Temiskaming Health Coalition, North Bay Health Coalition, Sault Ste. Marie Health Coalition, Sudbury Health Coalition, Northeastern Ontario Health Coalition.